The present invention relates generally to the data processing field, and more particularly, relates to a method and a hot plug sliding connector and circuit card combination for implementing hot plugging protection for regulator cards, power supply cards, system cards and the like.
As used in the following description and claims, it should be understood that circuit card includes various conductive media including a bus bar, a copper substrate and a flex cable.
Often it is desirable to install a circuit card, such as a regulator circuit card, power supply card, system card and the like, during normal power on operation of a system, such as a data processing system. This operation is typically referred to as hot plugging or a hot plug operation. However, such hot plugging must avoid any unsafe power condition so that the regulator card, power supply card, or system card are not damaged or destroyed.
Hot plugging of some known regulators and power supplies has been done by mating to a connector at an end of the circuit card. In this hot plugging operation, the circuit card is positioned for mating to the connector in the same direction that the circuit card is being plugged into the connector.
Another hot plugging solution commonly used is called a blind swap. This blind swap method is done by first positioning the card over the connector and having some mechanical method to cam the card down once the card is positioned in the correct location over the connector. A significant problem with this blind swap method is the space required. The height of the connector and additional room above the card is required to cam the card downwardly for the blind swap method. Due to required system density, it may not be possible to dedicate, for example, 20-25% of available packaging room for this blind swap function. Also, the cam force required for a large power connector could be difficult or impossible with the blind swap method.
A need exists for a mechanism to implement hot plugging protection for regulator cards, power supply cards, system cards and the like in a system that only has front access. In addition, it is desirable to enable a regulator card, power supply card, system card and the like to mate with a system board that is under the card rather than behind it.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and a combination of a hot plug sliding connector and a circuit card for implementing hot plugging protection for regulator cards, power supply cards, system cards and the like. Other important objects of the present invention are to provide such method and combination for implementing hot plugging protection substantially without negative effect and that overcome many of the disadvantages of prior art arrangements.
In brief, a method and a combination of a hot plug sliding connector and a circuit card are provided for implementing hot plugging protection for regulator cards, power supply cards, system cards and the like. A respective isolation circuit is coupled to each voltage input, and voltage output of the circuit card to be connected to the hot plug sliding connector. The hot plug sliding connector has an elongated slot for slidingly receiving the circuit card along the length of the elongated slot through the hot plug sliding connector. Both the sliding connector and the circuit card include a plurality of cooperating electrically connecting portions for mating engagement with the circuit card inserted into a final position in the hot plug sliding connector.
One of the cooperating electrically connecting portions of the circuit card is connected to one respective isolation circuit. The plurality of cooperating electrically connecting portions of the sliding connector and the circuit card are spaced apart by a respective predefined null, non-electrically connecting portion arranged to avoid shorting between adjacent ones of the plurality of cooperating electrically connecting portions of the connector during the sliding insertion of the circuit card into the hot plug sliding connector.